As rescuers, the most rewarding part of what we do is being an active part of the miraculous transformation of a dog in need. Dolly the poodle is one such magical rescue story.

We received a call from a woman in Sylmar, saying that a very matted, stray dog had been scrounging for food in trash cans in a vacant lot for months. She had tried to catch her, but to no avail, so was finally reaching out to rescue. With the help of Eldad Hagar of Hope for Paws, we managed to get Dolly that same day. She was in such horrific shape it was shocking even to us well seasoned rescuers. Dolly could barely see, and her matted fur was so heavy and thick it was tearing from her skin. What pain she must have endured. We rushed her immediately to the groomers where they shaved her, and removed 10 pounds of matting from this 15 pound dog! Once in a foster home, Dolly began to thrive. With lots of TLC and good nutrition she was ready for a home within a month. She was adopted, along with another rescue poodle that we had, by a wonderful woman. Dolly, now named Paris, lives the good life with her poodle sister, Nicky, in a lovely house in Cheviot Hills.

Its dog’s like Dolly that keep us doing the work we do…saving one dog at a time.

With your continued support, we are able to rescue more dogs like Paris!

It’s hard to believe that we are already halfway through 2015, and while here in California we are dealing with a major drought, there is far from a drought when it comes to the number of animals that desperately need saving in Los Angeles. This summer has been an all time high for the rescue community, and we need your support now more than ever. To give you insight into what we are faced with every day, here are the stories of ten dogs that we rescued in just ten days. Three of the ten dogs needed extensive surgeries that cost over $10,000. Despite the difficult life each has had so far, each and every one will have a wonderful and happy ending because of our dedication to them, and because of your loving and generous support.

With thanks from all of us at The Forgotten Dog and the Lucky Ten!

TRUMAN

Truman was seen being hit by a homeless man as he scrounged for food. This filthy and starving 11 month old was rescued by our Watts Angel, Kathy, who had a knife pulled on her as she saved this pup! She immediately brought him to us. After getting him fully vet checked and bathed, we discovered that this sweet and gentle boy was just an amazingly sweet dog, despite the horrors that he had clearly been through.

At his very first adoption Truman, our immediate name for him, was smitten with a lovely woman, Caryn, and her two daughters, and the feelings were mutual!

Truman is now living the good life in Pacific Palisades and is so loved and cherished!

BAILEY

We got a call from another rescuer telling us that Bailey would be heading to the shelter in the morning as the person who had him was unable to keep him for any longer. With the animal numbers way beyond capacity at the shelters–because of the deluge of lost dogs found running scared from the 4th of July fireworks–we knew that even a dog as cute as Bailey might not make it out. We immediately sent someone to get him, and we are so glad that we did! Bailey is a two year old Havanese mix and is just an adorable and easy boy, who just needs a spot to sit beside you on the couch. He’s good with all people and other dogs. Now neutered, vaccinated and groomed, Bailey is with one of our fosters, but ready for his forever home.

LINCOLN

Lincoln is a calm and sweet one year old Shep mix. We rescued him with the help of Eldad Hagar of Hope for Paws and Lisa Chiarelli. He had been starving for months on the streets of Watts, begging for food at the Taco stand. Lincoln bonds easily and is loving and well behaved. He is good with kids and adults alike, and all dogs, big and small. He would be best with active owners who are not gone all day. He is neutered, microchipped and current on vaccines.

LEO AND LINUS

We rescued Leo and Linus, two 4 month old Giant Schnauzer/Airedale mixes, from a backyard breeder situation in South LA. They came to us filthy, dehydrated, and full of fleas and ticks.

After being bathed, fully vetted and treated-microchipped, neutered and vaccinated–they are now healthy and happy! These spectacular boys are good natured and will be large breed dogs for sure. We wish to place them with other playful dogs apart. They are good with all dogs and people and need active owners!

CHEYENNE

This shy and gorgeous, roughly one year old Golden retriever mix, now named Cheyenne, was found terrified on the streets of South LA right before the 4th of July. Efforts were made to find her owners, but with no collar, ta
g or microchip, our search was difficult. After no owner stepped up, she became one of ours. After we had her vaccinated, microchipped and spayed, Cheyenne was adopted and is living with a loving family in Eagle Rock, CA!

HOOT

At seven pounds and seven months old, Hoot came into the South Los Angeles shelter as a stray with a fracture in her leg. She was put in ISO with other injured dogs and there she sat. With time running out and euthanasia a definite reality, a long standing foster saw a plea to save her and reached out to us. We immediately got Hoot to safety and to our orthopedic surgeon. Turns out the broken leg had healed and surgery was not needed.

Hoot is a happy, loving sprightly angel who prances and plays and gives kisses all day. She was also just adopted by an actor and his wife and is enjoying her new life in New York City!

MIMI

Little Mimi, a cockapoo pup that was only eight weeks old when we rescued her, was hit by a car in Bakersfield and was then left untreated for 24 hours! When we learned of this situation, we immediately had a transporter get Mimi and bring her straight to one of our specialty vets. After putting her on fluids and oxygen for a day, Mimi was stabilized and x-rayed. We learned that she had two broken legs. Dr Olds, the wonderful orthopedic surgeon at VCA Brentwood, did surgery on Mimi’s one leg and splinted the other. Because she is so young, spirited Mimi is healing fast and ruling the coop at her foster’s home! This little princess will soon be ready for her forever home.

PAPA TOMMY

Tommy was found in a field in Bakersfield fending for his three Shep/pit mix pups. Sadly the mama of his babies was nowhere in sight, and so Tommy was both mom and dad to them. Papa and babies were taken into someone’s back yard. We were told they were going to another rescue when we offered to take them all. We were horrified to learn that they were never given to a rescue, and they all got out right before the 4th of July! Ten days later Tommy was found starving and filthy scrounging for food. We had him immediately picked up and brought to our vets in LA. He was dehydrated and riddled with ticks. After a few days of vet care and grooming, Tommy was neutered at a different facility and suffered a rare complication post surgery and he nearly died! Fortunately after emergency surgery to stop the internal bleeding, Tommy is finally on the mend and doing fine!
This sweet, two year old boy has adopted Leo, our giant Schnauzer puppy, as his new son for now. Sadly, after posting reward signs in Bakersfield for his babies, none have been found.

TILLY

The call came late at night, and a texted photo of a little, blind gray dog. Hit by a car in South Los Angeles – the driver did not stop, no one else stopped, no one cared. Except one woman who saw the horrible hit-and-run, who called a friend… who called The Forgotten Dog Foundation.

The easy, simple thing to do is say no, sorry, we can’t help. But that photo… a matted, dehydrated little bag of bones who had obviously suffered a lifetime of neglect, finally fending for her herself on the mean streets. We immediately rushed to save her.

We named her Tilly and took her to go to the nearest all-night vet. Tilly was thought to be blind and thought to be a senior. She was immediately given a pain injection and put on fluids. Once stabilized, x-rays showed that she had a double fracture in her pelvis, and dislocation of both hips. The car ran right over her.

We transferred her the next day to our orthopedic surgeon in West L.A. where wonderful Dr. Olds was reluctant to perform surgery on Tilly’s hips for eight weeks, until her pelvis had healed.

He also discovered that Tilly is not a senior as first thought, but somewhat younger. And after a very gentle, warm bath, the little gray waif was free of a coat of motor oil and filth, and transformed into a fluffy, white, mostly-Maltese beauty. Most importantly, Tilly was wagging her tail and giving kisses to the doctor and staff. We knew that we would do whatever was necessary to restore the sweet little girl to health, and find her the happy forever home she so deserved.

Unfortunately, Tilly’s injuries were such that she could not go to the bathroom, and stopped eating. Dr. Olds performed surgery last week. He realigned her pelvis, performed an FHO (removal of the top of the femur) on one side of her hip, and relocated the second hip.
We are pleased to so that Tilly came through with flying colors and is on the mend!

Thank you for your continued support of The Forgotten Dog Foundation. Together, we can continue to help save more dogs like these lucky ten.

On Labor Day, we got a frantic text about a little dog that had been hit by a car in South Central and had been left to die amongst the rubble. She had been there at least a day and was already covered in ants! A kind woman who found her, reached out to rescues, frantically looking for someone to please come save this pup!

We wasted no time and responded immediately, as time was now of the essence – she was holding on by a thread. Thanks to volunteer Kathy Mitchell, who was at the scene within 20 minutes and raced her to City of Angels, and Eldad Hagar of Hope for Paws, who immediately undertook the enormous vet care commitment to help save Little Tuffy’s life, the stars were aligned for this discarded baby.

The veterinary team, who started working on her right away, said she was already so dehydrated that her eyes had sunken in…

Little Tuffy, we learned, was only four months old and had three broken legs. After several days in intensive care, and with her vitals stabilized, we were able to move her to VCA Animal Hospital Brentwood, where the wonderful Dr. Kim postponed the start of his vacation to perform her multiple leg surgeries. She was able to be moved to her foster’s house the next day.

Little Tuffy is one tough little girl and is already back on her feet! A few steps at a time, but doing great.

It takes a pack of caring people to save one dog, so please join the TUFFY PACK by helping her and us to save other dogs in desperate need. Donate today!

THE FORGOTTEN DOG FOUNDATION SAVES ROO, A 3 MONTH OLD PIT PUP, WITH DEFORMED FROM LEG, FROM THE SLA SHELTER…NOW, WITH YOUR HELP, HIS JOURNEY TO HEALING BEGINS.

A few weeks ago, we got an email from a wonderful former adopter, attaching a picture of an adorable pit bull pup at the SLA shelter. It was more than just a, “please save this cute pup” Facebook post, rather a plea to help a pup who had a deformed front paw, which made his chances of being adopted almost impossible.

With the help of Ric Browde, Cassandra Mann and Andrea Braver, we started the process to save this poor pup!

The shelter vet noted on his paperwork that he did not believe that Roo’s damaged front paw was congenital, rather damaged in an accident of some kind**….we shudder to think what cruel person let him suffer with such an injury then dumped him at the shelter!

Roo was brought to our fosters house and he immediately wanted to play with the other dogs! It was great to see him roll over and wrestle, but heartbreaking to see him stumble ad fall to catch up to them as they all ran outside to play.

We have an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon next week, and are hopeful that he will be able to give Roo the chance to run and play like all puppies should! If they cannot repair his leg we will look into a prosthetic leg. We will let you know how the visit with the Doctor goes. Fingers crossed and say a prayer!

Please help us and support the medical expenses for Roo ! A $5 donation will make a difference. We will keep you updated on Roo’s journey and greatly appreciate your kindness and concern for this most deserving pup!

Roo caused quite a stir in the waiting room, with everyone wanting to know what was wrong with his leg.

After Dr. Olds examined Roo, who was very well behaved, Dr. Olds determined that the deformity was congenital.
He did a series of X-rays and showed us where Roo is missing bone. He has no femur to speak of, but the good news is that Dr. Olds said that we should NOT amputate the leg. Rather, he would perform a surgery to straighten the leg, fuse the bones and set it in a splint. This means that Roo will have 4 legs!

Dr. Olds explained that the leg would never be fully functioning, but it would give him balance and stability. Dr Olds said that this was a rare surgery but he had done a few cases like Roo’s in the past. He showed us a picture of an adult pit bull with his wonderful family who had a leg just like Roo’s…and he looked amazing!

So HAPPY NEWS FOR ROO -MAN!

His surgery is set for this Thursday! While Dr. Olds is kindly giving us a rescue rate and discount, we will still need to raise funds for Roo, so please donate! Every dollar will help Roo to be a happy 4 legged pup!

The Forgotten Dog Foundation is pleased to announce the formation of a small dog, “Little’s Program” with good friends and fellow rescuers, Mandy and Jeremy DeGuc of SEVADOG in Eugene.

Mandy and Jeremy, who mostly focus on bully breeds, and take in so many from rescues in L.A. ,are the gold standard in how to rehabilitate and re-home a dog. We have been working with SEVADOG closely for over a year, and have sent many pit pups and adult pits up to them in that time period. We have been so impressed with their professional, yet completely hands on approach, and just like us, they are diligent, loving and super-careful with home checks and adoptions. They are also dog trainers, so all the dogs leave SEVADOG with excellent manners and training, and if there is a problem, Mandy and Jeremy are there for extra training or a quick tune up.

After a visit to their ZEN DEN in lovely Eugene, where the dogs live happily – it’s just like being in a home- Mandy and I discussed setting up a small dog program where we could start to send some of our adorable dogs, as well as bonded pairs, and hard to place dogs, that were having little interest in over- saturated dog rescue land in L.A.

Some minor construction and very attractive decorating was done so that the small dog ZEN DEN was ready for a few of our little’s!
Last Saturday, thanks to Eldad Hagar’s generosity and Yehuda Netanel of Wings of Rescue, five of our small dogs flew up to Eugene. A few tears were shed, especially for Bryant, our Maltipoo who has been with us for 2 years! But, once Mandy started sending happy pictures, all the tears ceased. As you can see, all the dogs are doing great!

SEVADOG and THE FORGOTTEN DOG share the belief that quality, not quantity is what best serves our rescue dogs, so that each dog can get all the care, vetting, grooming, training and attention that he/she deserves. None of our dogs go into homes without collars, tags, martingales and a very thorough home check done. Both our groups believe in a trial period, so that we can all be certain that this is the right match for pup and person. We also both take back all dogs within that trail period, and will take back any dog for the rest of their lives. It is THE FORGOTTEN DOG FOUNDATION’s privilege and honor to be in partnership with SEVADOG in this exciting new LITTLE’S PROGRAM.

We are excited to send the next group of little dogs up as soon as SEVADOG has placed the first five.

Extra Virgin Coconut Oil is one of the very best supplements you can give your pet (dog, cat, rabbit or any other creature, including yourself), and just about everyone loves its subtle flavor.

Coconut Oil is comprised of medium-chain triglycerides which are easily digested and convert to energy, rather than fat. It is ideal for dogs with gastrointestinal problems and sensitive stomachs because it does not require pancreatic secretion of enzymes for digestion or assimilation. Coconut oil is one of the richest sources of lauric acid which balances the immune system.

As if that were not enough, Coconut Oil is anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial. Allergies? Yeasty dog? Dry, flaky skin and coat problems? Coconut oil!

When incorporating Extra Virgin Coconut Oil into your pet’s diet, it is important to start slowly. It is recommended to begin with 1/4 teaspoon daily for cats and smaller, and one teaspoon a day for large breeds, Increase the dosage gradually until you reach a maximum of 1 teaspoon per 10 lbs. of body weight. In summer months, you will mostly find coconut oil to be a clear liquid; below 76 degrees, it solidifies into a white lard-like substance. It can be added to your pet’s food in either form.

I foster dogs that have been rescued from lives of appalling abuse and neglect. I am achieving amazing results with Extra Virgin Coconut Oil – overweight dogs losing weight thanks to increased energy; dull coats becoming sleek and shiny; two dogs are even growing new outer coats. In short – a pack of happy dogs brimming with good health.

Summer is coming which means more dogs will be out and about with their owners.

People always want to pet dogs that they see on the street, but there is the right and wrong way to approach a dog. Get ready to learn how to say hello the right way!

Consider it from the dog’s point of view. What if strangers rushed up to you with their hand in your face, talking high-pitched baby-talk? How about if a stranger ran up to you and gave you a “hello” bear hug?

The proper way to greet a dog is to turn your body sideways with no eye-to-eye contact. Do not reach for the dog but rather allow the dog to take a few steps towards you and smell you. Stay calm and as tempting as it is, avoid speaking in an excited, high-pitched, whiny tone. You may then pet the dog calmly and gently; avoid getting the dog excited which would only make it harder for the owners to carry on after you walk away.

That is greeting a dog in dog language in a non-confrontational way, while at the same time respecting both dog and owner.

We love our dogs and want them to be our constant companion. For some that means leaving their canines in the car while doing errands, which can be a fatal error in judgment. Most people don’t realize how fast the inside of a car heats up. For instance, when the temperature outside is 77 degrees, the inside of your car, even with the windows cracked, could reach 98 degrees. On 90-degree days, the inside of your automobile could skyrocket to 161 degrees. Your car becomes an oven, resulting in nerve damage, heart problems and ultimately the death of your beloved best friend.

You also risk your dog being stolen. Following the theft of dogs from backyards and in front of stores, this is the third most common dog-napping scenario. So if you love your dogs, leave them at home, inside, where they will be safe and cool!

It also highly recommended that you microchip your pets (be sure to register your contact information) and secure the chip tag, along with a regular ID tag, to their collar. If your pet were to become lost, the odds of someone helping him/her are greater if the person is able to quickly call the number on the tag. However, if the tags were to fall off and your animal was taken to a vet or shelter, a scan of the microchip could be the only way they will find their way home to you.

Perhaps you cannot imagine a scenario in which your dog or cat could become lost. However, may dogs get out when gardeners and other workers leave gates open. We also live in earthquake country… anything can happen, so we must take every precaution to protect our pets.